VCR with cable tuner control

ABSTRACT

A single remote control transmitter can advantageously control three units including a cable tuner/descrambler, a video recorder/player and a television receiver. One of these three units, preferably the video recorder/player, is a master unit. It receives remote control signals from a hand held remote control transmitter. The master unit is initialized using on screen prompts to learn the remote control signals for the other units which are slaves. The prompts ask the user to operate various controls on the remote control transmitter of the proposed slave unit, while receiving and analyzing the remote control transmissions. This permits the master unit to build a translation table for control of the slave units. The master unit may include a read only memory of remote control codes for a number of possible slave units. The master unit can abort the initialization process if it recognizes the requested remote control transmission is according to one of the remote control codes stored in the memory. The system preferably separates control of the plural processes so that each one of the cable tuner/descrambler, the video recorder/player and the television receiver are employed for only certain functions.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/609,291, filedNov. 5, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,046.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to programmable systems for recording televisionsignals provided to the system on multi-channel sources such as cable orsatellite, in which at least certain of the channels requiredescrambling and more particularly to such a system in which the videorecorder/player transmits a signal to the remote control receiver of atuner/descrambler at the time of occurrence of a program to be recorded,to ensure that the tuner/descrambler is tuned to the channel it isdesired to record.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most video recorder/players of the type intended to be used withtelevision receivers include a system for enabling the automatic,unattended recording of programs scheduled for future transmission. Insuch systems the operator can load a future schedule memory with signalsrepresenting the channel, starting time and ending time (oralternatively duration) of one or more future occurring programs that itis desired to record. The system includes a real time clock and when acomparator determines that the present time has reached the startingtime of a program to be recorded the tape drive is energized and thechannel number stored in the memory is used to control the tuner of thevideo recorder/player. When the real time reaches the ending time of theprogram the recording process is terminated.

Often the source of signals for the video recorder/player constituteseither a cable or satellite multi-channel signal including one or morechannels which are scrambled to prevent their reception by anunauthorized source. These signals must be descrambled before they canbe recorded or displayed on the television receiver. Tuner/descramblersare typically employed for this purpose. Popularly called "cable boxes"these units receive the output of the cable and/or the satellite and maybe tuned by the operator, typically employing an infrared remote controldevice, to a desired channel. The output of the cable box is provided tothe video recorder/player and either directly to the T.V. receiver orvia the video cassette recorder.

A variety of arrangements may be used to interconnect thetuner/descrambler, the video recorder/player and the T.V. receiver suchas those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,630,133 and 4,771,456. Some ofthese systems allow one channel to be recorded while a different channelis displayed on the T.V. receiver.

In all of these systems the proper recording of a future scheduledtelevision program occurring on one of the scrambled channels requiresthat the descrambler be tuned to the desired channel at the time ofoccurrence of the signal to be recorded. Often the future schedulememory is programmed a long time in advance of the time of occurrence ofthe program to be recorded. If the system is used for real time viewingor recording between the time of programming and the time of occurrenceof the future program to be recorded, the channel selector on thedescrambler may have been adjusted to tune some channel other than theone that it is desired to record. The operator must then return thedescrambler setting to the proper channel before recording for thesystem to operate properly. Particular difficulty is encountered whenthe schedule memory is programmed to record two future programsoccurring on different scrambled channels. It is then necessary toadjust the scrambler setting after the occurrence of the first programbefore the occurrence of the second one.

The value to the user of a remote control for various types ofelectronic equipment has resulted in a proliferation of remote controlunits. A system including a cable tuner/descrambler, a videorecorder/player and a television receiver may have three differentremote control units. This results in confusion because the user needsto select the appropriate remote control unit before entering a remotecontrol command. In addition, there is an apparent overlap in functionsbecause each of these units are capable of channel selection. Because ofthese problems there is a need for a single remote control unit whichcan operate all the users equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed toward a system and method ofoperation which eliminates the need for the operator to ensure that thecable box is tuned to an appropriate channel at the time the signaloccurring on that channel is to be recorded by providing means wherebythe future schedule memory of the video recorder/player can exercisecontrol over the channel to which the descrambler is tuned using theremote control receiver incorporated in the descrambler.

Broadly, the present invention provides a remote control transmitterwhich sends a signal to the remote control receiver of the cable boxcausing it to tune to the appropriate channel at the time the futureschedule memory controls the system to record a program occurring onthat channel. The video recorder/player system preferably includes aswitch which allows the operator to select one of the several popularcable boxes so that the code transmitted to the cable box remote controlreceiver is appropriate to tune it to the channel dictated by the futureschedule memory. The remote control transmitter may also send a signalto the cable box causing it to be energized if its power supplyarrangement is such that it is not energized at all times or at leastwhen the video cassette recorder is energized.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the control that the videorecorder/player exercises over energization and tuning of the cable boxallows the use of a single remote control transmitter to control boththe video recorder/player and the cable box, eliminating the need forseparate remote control transmitters for each.

The components which must be added to a conventional videorecorder/player to enable use of the system of the present invention arerelatively simple and inexpensive and substantially simplify the processof recording future scheduled programs and the overall operation of thesystem.

A single remote control transmitter can advantageously control threeunits including a cable tuner/descrambler, a video recorder/player and atelevision receiver. One of these three units, preferably the videorecorder/player, is a master unit. It receives remote control signalsfrom a hand held remote control transmitter. The master unit isinitialized using on screen prompts to learn the remote control signalsfor the other units which are slaves. The prompts ask the user tooperate various controls on the remote control transmitter of theproposed slave unit, while receiving and analyzing the remote controltransmissions. This permits the master unit to build a translation tablefor control of the slave units. The master unit may include a read onlymemory of remote control codes for a number of possible slave units. Themaster unit can abort the initialization process if it recognizes therequested remote control transmission is according to one of the remotecontrol codes stored in the memory. The system preferably separatescontrol of the plural processes so that each one of the cabletuner/descrambler, the video recorder/player and the television receiverare employed for only certain functions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of the present invention will be described inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the preferred embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the manner in which one of the cabletuner/descrambler, the video recorder/player or the television receivercontrols the other two units;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the video recorder/player whichcontrols the cable tuner/descrambler and the television receiver inaccordance with the present invention; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are examples of message screens produced by the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawing, the system of the present invention broadlyemploys a "cable box," generally indicated at 10, a videorecorder/player, generally indicated at 12, and a television receiver14. This system receives multiple television signals simultaneously overa wide band carrier 16 such as a community cable system or a broadcastsatellite. The units are interconnected so as to allow a singletelevision channel on the cable/satellite input 16 to be tuned,descrambled if it constitutes a scrambled premium channel, and eitherrecorded for future playback by the video recorder/player 12 ordisplayed on the television receiver 14.

The cable box 10, video recorder/player 12 and television receiver 14can be interconnected in a variety of different manners including thearrangements illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,771,456 or 4,630,133 andthe present invention is not considered to be limited to theinterconnection arrangement illustrated in the figure.

The cable box 10 includes a tuner/descrambler 18 connected to receivethe broad band input signal on line 16 and operative to tune anddemodulate a single channel and use that signal to remodulate a locallygenerated radio frequency signal so as to provide the tuned signal on asingle channel tunable by the television receiver 14. Typically cablebox 10 will be switchable so as to provide an output on either of twoadjacent television channels, so that the television receiver 14 may betuned to whichever of the channels is not used by local televisionbroadcast stations. The channel that unit 18 is tuned to is controlledby a channel selector 20 and if that channel is received in scrambledform, the unit 18 acts to descramble the signal. Typically, the channelswill be scrambled if a premium charge is made for their reception.

Channel selector 20 may be typically controlled manually or by outputsignals from a remote control receiver 22. The remote control receivermay also control the power supply 24 for the cable box.

The output of the tuner/descrambler is provided to a tuner anddemodulator unit 26 forming part of the video recorder/player 12. Theunit 26 is normally adjustable so that it can receive any channel, butwhen it is used with a cable box 10 that provides output on a singlechannel, it must be adjusted to receive the channel which the cable boxoutputs. The output of the tuner/demodulator 26 is provided both to atape drive unit 28 to allow recording of the output signal and to an RFmodulator 30 providing output to the television receiver 14. The RFmodulator is again tuned to a channel that is not used by a televisionbroadcast station in the area. Television receiver, 14 is normally tunedto the output channel of the modulator 30. The playback heads of thetape drive 28 are also connected to the RF modulator 30. The unitemploys an internal switching system (not shown) so that the output ofthe tuner/demodulator 26 is provided to the modulator 30 except when thetape drive is in playback mode.

In order to allow the unattended recording of previously programmedtelevision signals, a future schedule memory 32 may be loaded withdigital signals representative of the channel and time of occurrence ofthe programs which the operator desires to record. The time ofoccurrence signals may take a variety of forms including start and endtime of programs or start time and duration. The operator of the systemwill normally load signals into the future schedule memory using aremote control transmitter 34 which typically provides infrared controlsignals to a remote control receiver 36 forming part of the videorecorder/player. Signals from the remote control receiver are providedto a microprocessor 38 that loads the signals into the future schedulememory 32.

A real time clock 40 is also connected to the microprocessor 38 whichoperates to compare present time signals with the times loaded in thefuture schedule memory for the recording of programs. When real timecoincides with the time of occurrence of a program loaded in the futureschedule memory 32, the microprocessor sends signals to the tuner anddemodulator 26 and to the tape drive 28 causing the proper channel to betuned and recorded by the tape drive 28.

As heretofore described, the system is conventional and works properlyas long as the tuner/descrambler 18 has been tuned to a channel storedin the future schedule memory 32 prior to time of occurrence of aparticular program. With alternative connection arrangements in whichthe cable 16 is provided directly to the tuner/demodulator 26 of thevideo recorder/player, it is only necessary that the tuner/descrambler18 forming part of the cable box is properly tuned when a premiumchannel requiring descrambling is to be recorded. In either arrangement,the failure to maintain the cable box tuned to the proper channel is oneof the frequent reasons that the operator does not achieve recording ofthe desired program.

In order to obviate the possibility of recording the wrong channelbecause of the tuner/descrambler 18 being improperly tuned at the timeof recording, the system of the present invention allows the videorecorder/player to achieve control over the channel to which the unit 18is tuned via a dedicated remote control transmitter 40. Transmitter 40is permanently positioned relative to the cable box 10 so that itsoutput signals are received by the remote control receiver 22. Forexample, the transmitter 40 may be taped to the cable box adjacent theremote control receiver 22. The remote control transmitter 40 isconnected to the video recorder/player by a flexible cable 42 to allowthis positioning. The remote control transmitter 40 is energized bysignals outputted by the microprocessor 38 on line 44, representing thechannel associated with a program stored for recording in the futureschedule memory 32, generated at the time of occurrence of that program.

In order to allow the remote control transmitter 40 to be used with anyof the several types of cable boxes which are in use, each of which mayemploy a different coding for channel selection, the videorecorder/player 12 includes three decoders 46a, 46b and 46c whichconvert the channel selection output signals from the microprocessorinto one of three formats, each for use with a different make of cablebox 10. A manual selector switch 48 allows one of the three decoders46a, 46b or 46c to be connected between the microprocessor 38 and thetransmitter 40. The remote control transmitter 40 may also send signalsto the remote control receiver 22 energizing the power supply 24 at thetime of occurrence of a program to be recorded.

Since the only control signals for a cable box 10 constitute the powerON or OFF signal and the channel selection signal, this arrangementallows the remote control transmitter 34 for the video recorder/player12 to also exercise full control over the cable box 10, therebyeliminating the need for the operator to employ two remote controltransmitters for the two units. In this mode the microprocessor 38 wouldsend appropriate channel and power signals to the dedicated remotecontrol transmitter 40 whenever appropriately commanded by the remotecontrol transmitter 34, independent of operation of the future schedule.

In use, the operator may use the remote control transmitter 34 in themanner of the prior art to load channel and time of occurrence of adesired program to be recorded in the future schedule memory 32. Untilthe time of occurrence of that program the system can be used in thenormal manner and the tuner 18 of the cable box 10 can be tuned to anydesired channel. When the real time as provided to the microprocessor 38by the clock 40 coincides with the start time of a program loaded intothe future schedule memory the microprocessor sends appropriate controlsignals to the transmitter 40 to cause tuner 18 to select theappropriate channel. The output signal of the tuner 18 is providedthrough the tuner and demodulator 26 of the video recorder/player 12 tothe tape drive 28, which is also energized by the microprocessor 38, torecord the selected program.

FIGS. 2 to 5 illustrate various aspects of a further aspect of thisinvention. The value to the user of a remote control for various typesof electronic equipment has resulted in a proliferation of remotecontrol units. A system including a cable tuner/descrambler, a videorecorder/player and a television receiver may have three differentremote control units. This results in confusion because the user needsto select the appropriate remote control unit before entering a remotecontrol command. In addition, there is an apparent overlap in functionsbecause each of these units is capable of channel selection. However, ina cable system only the cable tuner/descrambler need be used for channelselection. The cable tuner/descrambler produces a signal on apredetermined channel and both the video recorder/player and thetelevision receiver must tune this channel to properly operate. Use ofthe remote control unit for either the video recorder/player or thetelevision receiver for channel selection would result in loss ofsignal.

Because of these problems there is a need for a single remote controlunit which can operate all the user's equipment. So called universalremote control units are known in the art. These universal remotecontrol units learn the transmission coding of the various singleequipment remote control units. Then the user is capable of putting theuniversal remote control unit in a mode for control of each of thevarious systems. This technique reduces the remote control clutter, butdoes not solve the confusion problem. The user must still be aware ofwhich system he wants to control and put the universal remote controlunit in the proper mode. This is equivalent to selecting the proper ofthe plural remote control units for each system. Also known in the artare remote controls from a single manufacturer which can controldiffering equipment made by that manufacturer. This solution requiresthe user to select only that manufacuturer's equipment. In the case ofthe three pieces of equipment which tend to be used together, a cabletuner/descrambler, a video recorder/player and a television receiver,the user does generally not select the manufacturer of the cabletuner/descrambler but takes the equipment selected by the cable systemoperator. Thus there is currently no satisfactory solution to the remotecontrol proliferation problem.

The present invention proposes a solution to this problem. FIG. 2illustrates this schematically. Cable tuner/descrambler 110 receives themulti-channel input signal from the television cable. Cabletuner/descrambler 110 tunes a particular one of these channels,descrambling the signal in the case of authorized reception of ascrambled channel, and produces a television signal on a predeterminedchannel. It is conventional to provide this output signal on eitherchannel 3 or 4, depending on the broadcast channel not being used inthat area. Remote control receiver 115 enables remote control of cabletuner/descrambler 110. The functions controlled may include: the ON/OFFstatus; and the channel tuned. It is known in the art to control thechannel tuned either by scrolling through the channels sequentially, orby direct access in response to the channel number, or both.

Video recorder/player 120 receives the output signal of cabletuner/descrambler 110. Video recorder/player 120 may: record thistelevision signal, either unattended under control of its record programmemory or while the user views the television signal via televisionreceiver 130; pass the television signal unaltered to televisionreceiver 130 for current viewing; or playback a previously recordedvideo tape for viewing via television receiver 130. The playbackfunction may include fast forward and reverse, either blind or whileviewing the tape, and stop action. In addition, because generally videorecorder/player 120 is constructed to operate by direct broadcastreception, channel selection is generally permitted in much the samemanner as described above regarding cable tuner/descrambler 110. Theoutput of video recorder/player 120 is a television signal, generally onthe same predetermined channel as the output of cable tuner/descrambler110 for the same reason. In addition, video recorder/players generallyhave a bypass mode in which the signals received at its input are passeddirectly to its output. This bypass mode is useful for simultaneouslyrecording and viewing differing broadcast television channels. Remotecontrol receiver 121 preferably enables all of the operating modes notedabove as well as controlling the ON/OFF status of video recorder/player120.

Television receiver 130 receives the output signal from videorecorder/player 120. Television receiver 130 provides a visible andaudible output of a selected television signal. This is the usefulportion of the system from the point of view of the user. Remote controlreceiver 135 permits remote control of the operating mode of televisionreceiver 130. The controls normally accessible via remote controlreceiver 135 include: ON/OFF status; volume by way of a volume increasecommand and a volume decrease command; and channel selection. Channelselection may be made via sequential scanning or direct access or both.

In accordance with this invention, the user employs a single hand heldremote control transmitter 140 for control of all functions of a cabletuner/descrambler, a video recorder/player and a television receiver.One of these units is a master and receives remote control signals fromthe hand held remote control transmitter 140. The other units are slavesand receive remote control signals from a remote control transmitterformed as part of the master unit. In the preferred embodiment,illustrated in FIG. 2, video recorder/player 120 is the master unit.Video recorder/player 120 employs remote control transmitter 122 forcontrol of both cable tuner/descrambler 110 via remote control receiver115 and television receiver 130 via remote control receiver 135. Thusboth cable tuner/descrambler 110 and television receiver 130 are slavesto video recorder/player 120. Those skilled in the art would realizethat any of these three units may operate as the master unit controllingone or both of the other units as slaves.

The television receiver is used in teaching video recorder/player 120the remote control codes needed for control of both cabletuner/descrambler 110 and television receiver 130. FIG. 3 illustrates inschematic form the internal form of video recorder/player 120. Videorecorder/player 120 includes tuner 123, which can tune all of thebroadcast television channels and optionally may be capable of tuningadditional television channels used in cable systems. The separate videoand audio signals are supplied to video tape drive 124. Video tape drive124 includes the capability of recording a program including video andthe accompanying audio, playing back the video and audio of a previouslyrecorded program and performing tape transport functions. The output ofvideo tape drive 124 is supplied to signal selector 125. Signalselector/modulator 125 selects the signal to be output from videorecorder/player 120. This output is either the signal from tuner 123,the output of video tape drive 124 or the output from charactergenerator 126. Note that signal selector/modulator 125 includes thehardware for modulating the selected signal on the predeterminedtelevision channel. The output of selector/modulator 125 is supplied totelevision receiver 130.

The functions of video recorder/player 120 are controlled bymicroprocessor 127. Microprocessor 127 preferably includes thecapability of storing a program of future programs to be recorded in themanner described above in conjunction with FIG. 1. Microprocessor 127includes the additional functions of control of cable tuner/descrambler110 and television receiver 130 via remote control transmitter 122. Thisprocess also includes initialization so that microprocessor 127 knowsthe coding of remote control signal to transmit to control the desirefunction.

This initialization process takes place employing read only memory 128,programmable read only memory 129, television receiver 130 and theremote control for the particular slave unit. Read only memory 128includes the program for control of microprocessor 127, data regardingthe remote control codes employed by a plurality of possible slaveunits, and various messages to be described. Upon initial entry into theON mode, microprocessor 127 checks a particular address in programmableread only memory 129 which indicates whether microprocessor 127 has beeninitialized for control of the slave units. If microprocessor 127 hasbeen so initialized, then the initialization process described below isskipped. If microprocessor 127 has not been initialized, then theinitialization process is begun. There is preferably a method forrequesting re-initialization of microprocessor 127. This would beuseful, for example, upon replacement of one of the slave units.

Microprocessor 127 recalls a message from read only memory 128 andcommands character generator 126 to produce a video screen includingthat message. Character generator 126 cooperates with signalselector/modulator 125 to produce a video signal corresponding to theselected messages. These message prompt the user to operate at leastcertain of the controls on the remote control transmitter for thedesired slave unit. FIG. 4 illustrates an example of such a messageappearing on screen 131 of television receiver 130. Receipt of therequested remote control signal enables microprocessor 127 to analyzethe coding and store appropriate data in programmable read only memory129. Following receipt and analysis of each remote control signal,microprocessor 127 selects and displays a message requesting operationof another control.

In the preferred embodiment, microprocessor 127 uses only certain of thepossible remote control codes for control of a particular type of slaveunit. Microprocessor 127 need only issue ON/OFF mode commands andchannel selection commands to cable tuner/descrambler 110. A typicalinitialization sequence would request operation of the ON/OFF togglecommand or separate ON and OFF commands if so equipped. These would befollowed by the channel scanning commands for up (FIG. 4) and down, andby the digit commands for direct channel access if so equipped.Microprocessor 127 need only issue ON/OFF mode commands and volumeselection commands to television receiver 130. A typical initializationsequence would request operation of the ON/OFF toggle command, orseparate ON and OFF commands if so equipped, followed by the volume upand down commands. Microprocessor 127 writes data into programmable readonly memory 129 indicating that microprocessor 127 is initialized uponcompletion of this process.

Microprocessor 127 may recognize the requested operation corresponds toone of the remote control code sets stored in read only memory 128. Uponrecognition of the fact that the received remote control signalscorrespond to those employed by a one of the plurality of possible slaveunits, microprocessor 127 aborts the prompting process for that slaveunit. Microprocessor 127 then stores in programmable read only memory129 the identity of the recognized slave unit. This permitsmicroprocessor 127 to generate the needed remote control signals fromthe data stored in read only memory 128. Microprocessor 127 preferablyrecalls a corresponding message indicating to the user that the identityof the slave unit has been recognized for display via charactergenerator 126. FIG. 5 illustrates an example of such a message.

Following initialization, all remote control functions take place viathe hand held remote control transmitter for the master unit. If thecommand is intended for the master unit, then that unit executes thecommanded operation. If the command is intended for one of the slaveunits, then the appropriate remote control signal is transmitted via theremote control transmitter formed as part of the master unit. The slaveunit receives this remote control signal and then executes the commandedoperation.

In the preferred embodiment video recorder/player 120 is the masterunit. Initial operation of a power ON/OFF mode toggle at hand heldremote control transmitter 140 causes microprocessor 127 to place videorecorder/player 120 in the ON mode. Microprocessor 127 then readsprogrammable read only memory 129 or read only memory 128 as appropriateto determine the power command for cable tuner/descrambler 110.Microprocessor 127 then controls remote control transmitter 122 togenerate the corresponding remote control signal. A similar process isrepeated to turn ON television receiver 130. Upon receipt of a channelselection command from hand held remote control transmitter 140,appropriate remote control signals are transmitted to cabletuner/descrambler 110. Any remote control signals dealing with tapeoperations (record, fast forward, rewind, playback, pause, still frame)and dealing with programming the memory of scheduled future recordingare executed directly via microprocessor 127. Lastly, received volumecontrol commands are translated into the appropriate remote controlsignals for control of television receiver 130 via remote controltransmitter 122 and remote control receiver 135. Thus a single hand heldremote control transmitter can advantageously control the three units.This single hand held remote control transmitter need be no more complexthan the individual remote control transmitters for the three systems.

Having thus described my invention I claim:
 1. In a television viewingsystem of the type including a television receiver that receives controlsignals, a first hand-held remote transmitter that transmits controlsignals to at least said television receiver, a first associated unitthat provides video signals to said television receiver, and a secondhand-held remote transmitter that transmits control signals to at leastsaid associated unit, wherein said television receiver and said firsthand-held remote transmitter constitute a master unit and said firstassociated unit and said second hand-held transmitter constitute a slaveunit, said master unit being trainable to transmit control signals tosaid slave unit, the method of training said master unit as to therequired control signal codes for transmission to the slave unitcomprising the steps of:generating displays on the screen of thetelevision receiver requesting the operator to use the second hand-heldtransmitter of the slave unit to transmit at least certain controlsignals to said master unit; receiving said control signals at themaster unit from the second hand-held transmitter of the slave unit; andestablishing a conversion memory within said master unit, based on suchreceived control signals, to enable said master unit to transmit controlsignals to the slave unit.
 2. The method of claim 1 in which said firstassociated unit is a video recorder/player.
 3. The method of claim 2 inwhich said television viewing system further includes a secondassociated unit comprising a tunable video signal receiver and scrambledsignal descrambler and a third hand-held remote transmitter, whereinsaid second associated unit and third hand-held remote transmitterconstitute a second slave unit, said master unit being further trainableto transmit control signals to said second slave unit, said methodfurther including the steps of:generating displays on the screen of thetelevision receiver requesting the operator to use the hand-heldtransmitter of the second slave unit to transmit at least certaincontrol signals; receiving said control signals at the master unit fromthe hand-held transmitter of the second slave unit; and establishing aconversion memory within said master unit, based on such receivedcontrol signals, to enable said master unit to transmit control signalsto the second slave unit.
 4. The method of claim 1 in which saidassociated unit is a tunable video signal receiver and scrambled signaldescrambler.
 5. The method of claim 1 in which said master unit includesa code memory containing codes representing the control codes of aplurality of known hand-held remote transmitters, said method furthercomprising the steps of:comparing said control signals received at themaster unit from the second hand-held transmitter with the contents ofsaid code memory; and establishing said conversion memory within saidmaster unit as a matching portion of said code memory if said receivedcontrol signals match a portion of said code memory.
 6. In a televisionviewing system of the type including a television receiver that receivescontrol signals, a first hand-held remote transmitter that transmitscontrol signals to at least said television receiver, a first associatedunit that provides video signals to said television receiver, and asecond hand-held remote transmitter that transmits control signals to atleast said first associated unit, wherein said first associated unit andsaid second hand-held remote transmitter constitute a master unit andsaid television receiver and first hand-held remote transmitterconstitute a slave unit, said master unit being trainable to transmitcontrol signals to said slave unit, the method of training said masterunit as to the required control signal codes for transmission to theslave unit comprising the steps of:generating displays on the screen ofthe television receiver requesting the operator to use the firsthand-held transmitter of the slave unit to transmit at least certaincontrol signals to said master unit; receiving said control signals atthe master unit from the first hand-held transmitter of the slave unit;and establishing a conversion memory within said master unit, based onsuch received control signals, to enable said master unit to transmitcontrol signals to the slave unit.
 7. The method of claim 6 in whichsaid first associated unit is a video recorder/player.
 8. The method ofclaim 7 in which said television viewing system further includes asecond associated unit comprising a tunable video signal receiver andscrambled signal descrambler and a third hand-held remote transmitter,wherein said second associated unit and third hand-held remotetransmitter constitute a second slave unit, said master unit beingfurther trainable to transmit control signals to said second slave unit,said method further including the steps of:generating displays on thescreen of the television receiver requesting the operator to use thethird hand-held transmitter of the second slave unit to transmit atleast certain control signals; receiving said control signals at themaster unit from the third hand-held transmitter of the second slaveunit; and establishing a conversion memory within said master unit,based on such received control signals, to enable said master unit totransmit control signals to the second slave unit.
 9. The method ofclaim 6 in which said first associated unit is a tunable video receiverand scrambled signal descrambler.
 10. The method of claim 9 in whichsaid television viewing system further includes a second associated unitcomprising a video recorder/player and a third hand-held remotetransmitter, wherein said second associated unit and third hand-heldremote transmitter constitute a second slave unit, said master unitbeing further trainable to transmit control signals to said second slaveunit, said method further including the steps of:generating displays onthe screen of the television receiver requesting the operator to use thethird hand-held transmitter of the second slave unit to transmit atleast certain control signals; receiving said control signals at themaster unit from the third hand-held transmitter of the second slaveunit; and establishing a conversion memory within said master unit,based on such received control signals, to enable said master unit totransmit control signals to the second slave unit.
 11. The method ofclaim 6 in which said master unit includes a code memory containingcodes representing the control codes of a plurality of hand-held remotetransmitters, said method further comprising the steps of:comparing saidcontrol signals received at the master unit from the first hand-heldtransmitter with the contents of said code memory; and establishing saidconversion memory within said master unit as a matching portion of saidcode memory if said received control signals match a portion of saidcode memory.
 12. In a television viewing system of the type including atelevision receiver that receives control signals, a first hand-heldremote transmitter that transmits control signals to at least saidtelevision receiver, a video recorder/player that provides video signalsto said television receiver, a second hand-held remote transmitter thattransmits control signals to at least said video recorder/player, atunable video signal receiver and scrambled signal descrambler thatprovides video signals to at least said television receiver, and a thirdhand-held remote transmitter that transmits control signals to at leastsaid descrambler, wherein said video recorder/player and said secondhand-held remote transmitter constitute a master unit and saiddescrambler and third hand-held remote transmitter constitute a slaveunit, said master unit being trainable to transmit control signals tosaid slave unit, the method of training said master unit as to therequired control signal codes for transmission to the slave unitcomprising the steps of:generating displays on the screen of thetelevision receiver requesting the operator to use the third hand-heldremote transmitter of the slave unit to transmit at least certaincontrol signals to the master unit; receiving said control signals atthe master unit from the third hand-held transmitter of the slave unit;and establishing a conversion memory within said master unit, based onsuch received control signals, to enable said master unit to transmitcontrol signals to the slave unit.
 13. The method of claim 12 in whichsaid master unit includes a code memory containing codes representingthe control codes of a plurality of hand-held remote transmitters, saidmethod further comprising the steps of:comparing said control signalsreceived at the master unit from the third hand-held transmitter withthe contents of said code memory; and establishing said conversionmemory as a matching portion of said code memory if said receivedcontrol signals match a portion of said code memory.
 14. In a televisionviewing system of the type including a television receiver that receivescontrol signals, a first hand-held remote transmitter that transmitscontrol signals to at least said television receiver, a videorecorder/player that provides video signals to said television receiver,a second hand-held remote transmitter that transmits control signals toat least said video recorder/player, a tunable video signal receiver andscrambled signal descrambler that provides video signals to at leastsaid television receiver, and a third hand-held remote transmitter thattransmits control signals to at least said descrambler, wherein saiddescrambler and said third hand-held remote transmitter constitute amaster unit and said video recorder/player and said second hand-heldremote transmitter constitute a slave unit, said master unit beingtrainable to transmit control signals to said slave unit, the method oftraining said master unit as to the required control signal codes fortransmission to the slave unit comprising the steps of:generatingdisplays on the screen of the television receiver requesting theoperator to use the second hand-held transmitter of the slave unit totransmit at least certain control signals to said master unit; receivingsaid control signals at the master unit from the second hand-heldtransmitter of the slave unit; and establishing a conversion memorywithin said master unit, based on such received control signals, toenable said master unit to transmit control signals to the slave unit.15. The method of claim 14 in which said master unit includes a codememory containing codes representing the control codes of a plurality ofhand-held remote transmitters, said method further comprising the stepsof:comparing said control signals received at the master unit from thesecond hand-held transmitter with the contents of said code memory; andestablishing said conversion memory as a matching portion of said codememory if said received control signals match a portion of said codememory. .Iadd.
 16. The method of claim 6 in which said televisionviewing system further includes a second associated unit comprising atunable video signal receiver and scrambled signal descrambler and athird hand-held remote transmitter, wherein said second associated unitand third hand-held remote transmitter constitute a second slave unit,said master unit being further trainable to transmit control signals tosaid second slave unit, said method further including the stepsof:generating displays on the screen of the television receiverrequesting the operator to use the third hand-held transmitter of thesecond slave unit to transmit at least certain control signals;receiving said control signals at the master unit from the thirdhand-held transmitter of the second slave unit; and establishing aconversion memory within said master unit, based on such receivedcontrol signals, to enable said master unit to transmit control signalsto the second slave unit..Iaddend..Iadd.17. The method of claim 6 inwhich said television viewing system further includes a secondassociated unit comprising a video recorder/player and a third hand-heldremote transmitter, wherein said second associated unit and thirdhand-held remote transmitter constitute a second slave unit, said masterunit being further trainable to transmit control signals to said secondslave unit, said method further including the steps of: generatingdisplays on the screen of the television receiver requesting theoperator to use the third hand-held transmitter of the second slave unitto transmit at least certain control signals; receiving said controlsignals at the master unit from the third hand-held transmitter of thesecond slave unit; and establishing a conversion memory within saidmaster unit, based on such received control signals, to enable saidmaster unit to transmit control signals to the second slaveunit..Iaddend..Iadd.18. In a television viewing system including atelevision receiver and an associated unit controlled by a hand-heldremote-control signal transmitter, the associated unit being connectedto said television receiver to provide a video signal thereto, a masterunit, comprising: video display generation means operative to display amessage on said television receiver requesting a user to transmit aremote-control signal to said master unit using the hand-heldremote-control signal transmitter of said associated unit; aremote-control signal receiver to receive said transmitted signal; aremote-control signal transmitter; and a controller in electricalcommunication with said remote-control signal receiver and transmitter,said controller being operative to interpret said received signal,enabling said master unit to control the operation of said associatedunit using said remote-control signal transmitter..Iaddend..Iadd.19. Thetelevision viewing system of claim 18, wherein said associated unit iscapable of performing multiple functions, and wherein said controller,upon interpreting said received signal, enables said master unit tocontrol said multiple functions..Iaddend..Iadd.20. The televisionviewing system of claim 19, further including: a second hand-heldremote-control signal transmitter to which said master unitremote-control signal receiver is responsive, said master unit beingfurther operative to control the operation of said associated unit inaccordance with a signal received from said second hand-heldremote-control signal transmitter..Iaddend..Iadd.21. In a televisionviewing system including a television receiver and a system componentresponsive to a hand-held remote-control transmitter, a mastercomponent, comprising: a remote-control signal transmitter; aremote-control signal receiver; video display generation means; and acontroller in communication with said remote-control signal transmitterand receiver and said video display generation means, said controllerbeing operative to perform the following functions:cause said videodisplay generation means to display a request on said televisionreceiver instructing a viewer to use said hand-held remote transmitterto transmit a control signal associated with the operation of saidsystem component, receive and interpret said control signal, enablingsaid master unit to assume control over the operation of said systemcomponent using said remote-control signaltransmitter..Iaddend..Iadd.22. The television viewing system of claim21, further including multiple system components, and wherein: saidcontroller is operative to display requests associated with theoperation of each system component enabling said master unit to controleach of said system components..Iaddend..Iadd.23. The television viewingsystem of claim 21, wherein said system component is a videorecorder/player..Iaddend..Iadd.24. The television viewing system ofclaim 21, wherein said system component is a cableconverter/descrambler..Iaddend..Iadd.25. The television viewing systemof claim 21, wherein said system component is said televisionreceiver..Iaddend.